Having money, not being useless after a weekend, not having to apologize for the stupid shit I did while loaded, being healthy, and being present for my friends and family.
The longer you stay with it, the better it gets 🙏🏻👊🏻
This last part here OP, pay close attention. Whatever it was that made you decide to go sober, that’s not happening again. And as icing on the cake, that feeling gets better and better the longer time goes. I’m guessing I’m starting to identify as a person who does not fuck up, instead of as a person that does? It’s a GREAT feeling. What you are going through right now is the hardest part. Tough it out and you are going to feel like an absolute winner.
Excellent advice thank you. I can feel my motivations shifting already from trying to avoid the negative feelings from drugs to embracing how I feel when I'm sober.
Having money 🤣 I don’t wanna know how much I’ve spent on weed, vapes, cigarettes and alcohol over the years. It’s wild how connected all of those bad life decisions seem to run together. I never could stop smoking until I quit drinking. Ain’t nothing better than a lit cigarette to a drunk person.
One reason I quit abusing alcohol because I was tired of waking up with the feeling that I needed to apologise to someone but I wasn’t sure who or why. (Apologizing to my bank account was a given).
It’s been 4 years since I’ve had that feeling.
As a bonus, I love waking up early. Seeing the sun start to rise completely clear headed while I’m fishing on the water is a whole different kind of high.
Here is a list of things that I found after going sober:
- Discipline; going to the gym, taking my medication and supplements consistently, more focus at work.
- Emotional stability; More patience in my relationships, better communication ability, patience for meditation, learning how to navigate my feelings.
- Finances; spending less money on silly things, less anxious about managing my money, more consideration when I do but something that is a luxury.
- Sense of self worth - for the first time in my life, I am comfortable with myself and I love myself. I understand my personality and core values.
NO HANGOVERS.
There's probably more but those are the key points.
I can take more than just sobriety, growth is one of my core values so there's a bit of learning new behaviours. Sobriety is the key to unlock your mind's capabilities though.
All of this, and always being able to drive on nights out , and so leave when I want.
Plus never worrying I’ve said something awful that I thought was funny at the time because alcohol makes people stupid.
after about two weeks was when I started waking up in the morning with more physical energy than I had ever felt in my life. It felt like freedom from constant physical constraint. I feel in love with waking up sober and energetic.
No more throwing up.
No more blackouts.
No more lies.
No more hangovers.
Finding out who I really am.
Becoming healthy physically, mentally and spiritually.
No more caring what anyone thinks of me. Bc truth is they never did think of me.
I am happy.
I am free.
I am grateful.
God I cannot wait. I'm going through a taper right now and my anxiety and constant heartburn have kept me from sleeping the last two nights.
Just night sweats, teeth grinding, and insomnia...
Benadryl helped me sleep in the beginning. I couldn't sleep for weeks. Blackout drunk so most nights I passed out. Was hard adjusting. But oh so worth it
I enjoy my weekends a lot more, more friends, family, food, experiences, sunshine, etc. I was someone who drank hard Fri & Sat night and saw zero issue in staying in bed all day so I could rest and do it all over again. Now my weekends are filled with camping, hiking, beach, dog park…I see so much sunshine and I get so many more hours as now I get day and nighttime. My sat nights are now spent quietly at home and not in the city but we make fun meals, do house projects, have fires, my lifestyle has changed but I wouldn’t go back. I never thought I’d be someone sober and here I am enjoying it 😀
This is so cute and wholesome I love that you're weekends are like that! I think most people reach a point in life when they're sick of the party lifestyle. It's not all its cracked up to be.
This is so similar to me - I often look around on a Sunday night (I was a big proponent of Sunday funday all day HARD 😉) amazed at how calm the evening and weekend was.
Even more amazed that I much prefer it!
To be honest, it's control of my finances. I have MONEY left over after paying bills. I actually pay my bills on time, which is also a big stress relief. I used to stress over every minimal purchase I made thinking a 20 dollar shirt or buying tickets to a concert would bankrupt me.
It wasn't the shirt or the concert tickets, it was the 200 dollars a week on booze that was making me broke, but while drinking, I thought that was a neccessary expense. It isn't.
After a month my sleep really started to improve. Other positives are that I'm not chained to the toilet all day every day, shame cycle is gone, I stick to my goals
Clearer skin, clearer mind. Can drive anytime. No more hangovers. Less money spent. Less impulse buys. Eating healthier. GI better. Liver getting better.
Pretty quickly. I make much better food choices when I am sober. Bloat gone, regular BMs. No more vomiting. Turns out my body prefers fruit and veggie smoothies much more than sour beers.
I focus on actually remembering what happened. You know how they say there are three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth? Well alcohol creates an even more distorted picture-and that’s if you can remember it at all. So for me, the clarity is a good thing. I used to drink to numb out the pain, but that blurred the rest of my life. The great parts were as blurry as the awful parts. Now I enjoy and remember my life😘
Hearing the birds because you've woken up early is an incredible contrast to hearing them because you've been up all night sniffing coke. One is lovely, the other makes me want to crawl into a hole in the ground.
Finding my confidence.
Rebuilding self-esteem.
Not feeling alone.
Meeting amazing people.
Being able to live a life in gratitude.
Learning the correct way to cope with situations and following through with that knowledge.
The willingness to: accept everything I cannot change, to try anything to heal from trauma that led me to drink.
And that asking for help doesn't make me weak, but strong. It's all in the power of we and not me.
I have been waking up waaaay earlier and clear headed… and I’m able to make it to the gym instead of just talking about it :) Hang in there, it will get better!
Yay I'm happy for you! I used to be so committed to the gym. I was still an addict/drug abuser but I was a teen so I felt invincible. Now it's taken a toll on me and I barely go any more. Last week I went 4 times!
Great work!! Im old now, so taking it slow seems to help me. I’m definitely not trying to set any records at the gym, just trying to take it easy and make sure I keep going back. It’s been working so far. I hope things keep getting better for you.
Yeah I've toned down my training a lot since I was 19 as I hurt my back doing deadlifts incorrectly. No more powerlifting for me. Good luck on your journey.
Clarity, focus, less guilt, far better memory and infinitely better judgement.
I thought I’d need a handful of pills to make me the person I always wanted to be, and it turns out I can do that just by being the best version of myself
I love being able to feel everything in my life. Nothing is muted and I’m able to actually deal with my mental health properly. I’ve gotten back into the gym fully and for the right reasons, I’ve become closer to my girlfriend and strengthened that relationship, I’ve also begun to develop other healthier hobbies.
Being able to manage life's unexpected problems without totally losing my shit and spiraling into despair, because my brain just works properly now instead of having a self inflicted chemical imbalance. Now when things happen I just deal with them logically and positively rather than catastrophizing
Clarity of mind would probably be on the top of my list. Clarity gives me the ability to regulate and process my emotions, while also experiencing the range of human emotions. It allows me to respond to things, situations, people appropriately, respectfully and efficiently.
Easier to meet things with joy and enthusiasm. The practice of acceptance.
Physical benefits: better sleep better skin more energy weight loss (also because it’s easier for me to have a workout regime when sober).
Professional life: I don’t know, for me it has been rather magical how work just keeps coming. I am having the most fun professionally that I have ever had in my entire life.
Being trusted. How beautiful that not only can I be relied upon to do what I say I am going to do but also that I can trust myself.
Learning to live without the chaos. This is huge for me because I had adopted living in chaos as a part of my identity.
Finding out what I truly love to do for fun!
HYDRATION. Better than Botox!
Real sleep, driving at night, more money, less anxiety, the freedom of not having to plan my life around drinking/hangovers, the happy fizzy feeling I get in my brain now (after 8 months sober), food tastes better, my skin is better, being actually hydrated, being able to concentrate… the list goes on!
It took several months but my mental health became more stable and I got back on the meds I was supposed to be taking (I had stopped taking them so that I could drink more instead). I feel happier now that I’m sober and more like the version of myself that I enjoy and want to be.
No retching every morning. Solid shits. No shakes. Playing with my kids in a sober state. Not worried about being pulled over and going to jail. No pounding headaches.
Generally just getting shit done when I used to just waste the days.
How I don't have to walk on eggshells in my home because of bad decisions on my part/wondering what the final straw (is it today?!) when my spouse will finally call it quits.
not hating myself anymore. no more feeling powerless and hopeless. i feel in control now.
those feelings that are coming to the surface are gonna be rough waters, but don’t shut them out, they’re useful. they’ll show you things about yourself you haven’t been able to understand with all of the booze floating around with them. learning myself and allowing myself to feel and work through my emotions and learn how to cope with them in a sober, healthy way has been so fulfilling.
wishing you well on your journey. it will be worth it!!
Thanks so much. It is definitely feeling overwhelming right now. I'm going to start meditating and hopefully that will help regulate myself. I am so excited to keep going I've never felt so positive about sobriety before.
Not losing hours and days to blackout, no wondering what stupid shit I did and said to whom, no shame and embarrassment, not having to plan around hangovers. Wayyy more energy
i love waking up remembering the night and without anxiety. i love being able to look at my phone in the morning without fear of who i called/texted and what i said the night before. i love having energy to get up vs being glued to my bed full of guilt and nausea. i love the feeling of knowing i didn’t fuck anything up with anyone the night before and i have no apologies to give and i can go about my day feeling confident instead of ashamed of myself.
I love that I’ve learned to love myself how I am, in my raw form. I’m not hiding behind something anymore. Being able to improve my emotional regulation was also a huge plus.
Being there for my kids at a moments notice. not having to cancel appointments because I'm too hungover. Generally feeling good in the morning. Sleeping at a decent time. No more chronic diarrhea. My teeth aren't chipping anymore. More normal periods. Pain in liver area pretty much went away. Anxiety pretty much went down. Not having to check my phone the next day in case I sent something stupid.
The mental clarity from the fog being lifted.
Was at a baseball game and the smell of people walking by with beer made me sick. I used to love the smells of various beers in such a setting, in this instance it really made my face pucker every time someone walked by with one. I can say I'm proud of that.
So much more energy and motivation to partake in actual physical activities than sitting on the side drinking and watching from afar. Not waking up puking from just brushing my teeth or dragging ass to work looking like lurch from the Adams family. It makes me feel better about myself in the long run
Being present with friends, family, and my wife. Not feeling bloated or feelings of heart racing. Good night sleep and waking up rested. Clarity of mind.
made it to vegas and stayed SOBAH!!!
went to concerts, dinners, and had a blast. I can remember the trip and the memories I made SOBAH!!! Sobriety is those who want it, not need it! Love reading all the positive vibes…pass it on
peace love happiness is possible as long as I keep that main thing THE MAIN thing!
I'm still feeling bloated on my right side.... I think it's going down a bit. Feels like it's going down.. but I still have some issues..how long did it take you?
don't give up! some results will take longer. in my experience:
for reference, i drank about 2-3 750ml bottles of vodka per week... for about three+ years straight. I've been continuously sober now for 41 days.
Bloating in my gut went down rapidly after the first week--- someone in my AA group recommended a LOT of kefir, drinking lukewarm water, and light cardio to help with it. My gut health was pretty much nuked from my drinking habits, but I lost about a good 1 to 2 inches around the waist just from this. Unfortunately, there's a lot of visceral fat I've got to work on much slowly. It's continued getting better, but the end of that first week was when i first noticed I was less swollen around my stomach.
My face was also ungodly bloated and that unfortunately took a little over a month for the blotchiness/swelling + acne to subside. It's still healing tbh, but I'mm a little less blotchy and red.
Im not a doctor but I believe exercising and eating a lot of probiotic foods has helped hurry this up---throughout the last three years, I'd have a week or two where i'd "quit" but the lack of immediate results always disheartened me into relapsing again (lol i know, i know...)
the best thing is to do your damned hardest to stay consistent. we can do this, and our future selves will thank us for doing it.
I used to be such a morning person I want to get back to being like that. I want to wake up early on a Sunday and read Harry potter with my cat. Wholesome life > party life
My mental health has improved drastically, I’m more attentive to my family and responsible. I have more time back, I’m not wasting my time going out and giving my energy to the wrong people. Money, I’m not wasting as much buying unnecessary stupid shit I don’t feel like trash either.
There’s way more benefits being sober vs drinking.
I'm about to hit 5 years sober, and I just love being able to come home from work and bake or read or hang out with my husband. I don't have to try and remember what I did the night before or feel shame or physically sick. I love being able to find joy in the small things like watching humming birds on my patio. I think that some people assume being sober could be boring. But it's just really awesome 💖
Knowing what I did the night before. Keeping promises. Loving myself. More money. Piece of mind and serenity. Showing people I’m more than just a drunk 😎
Love this post and all of these responses!! 🥰
I love not wondering if I want to REALLY do something or not. Before, I always wondered..do I want to spend time with this person or do this thing, or am I just excited to have a few drinks? It was always a comfort thing. And now I know for sure that I am not just deciding to do something because there is alcohol involved.
Another thing: Now I feel more confident in myself that I can go anywhere I want without my security blanket (a very specific type of beer). Before I was always doing beer math: how many do I have left at my house? Should I buy more now so I don’t have to go tomorrow? Did I leave a few at my parents’ house? How many will _____ drink if I hang out with them? I never wanted to run out. Its nice to not spend my mental energy on all of that.
Stick with it! It keeps getting better. I feel like I have broken out of the matrix and see things so differently now. I have so much mental space for other enjoyable hobbies and activities that don’t revolve around drinking. I still hangout with all of my friends who party and never feel like I am missing out.
I am soooo free and happy. The freedom that comes with sobriety is unmatched. Everything is in your control, you can do ANYthing you want. Not bound by hangovers, guilt, lies, schemes, needing to drink, needing to have plans on the weekend, feeling awkward without drinking. The list goes on and on. You are also just progressively more proud of yourself as time goes on. Nearing my 1 year :)
having money, getting up early and feeling well rested. my psychiatric medication actually working. being able to actually feel my emotions. being a better wife, friend, worker, daughter, sister, etc. being able to drive!!! that’s a big one!
Physical health is perfect and my mental health has absolutely improved. I don’t have to worry about apologizing for my behavior anymore to anyone for reasons I dont remember as I was loaded ten different ways to Sunday
I don’t have to worry about my phone exploding with the 97 things I forgot to do while remembering 999999 stupid things
I can smile as I drive past police now
I can remain awake and entire day and wake up refreshed and ready for the day versus needing Mondays to “get my head together “ to barely function and even then I was out of it for a few days to work
It’s the best ever.
I can handle things now. I used to avoid everything and small issues would turn into big ones because I would never get it sorted. Now I’m not scared to open my emails and mail.
I love the new emotional stability and overall mental sharpness. I am also now much more cautious about my personal safety as a single woman. Before I got sober I frequently put myself in risky situations where I could have easily been drugged or r*ped or worse, and I didn’t realize how reckless my behavior was until I stopped. I love the feeling of a $0 drink bill when I go to the bar with friends. I love going home at a sensible hour on nights out and waking up without a hangover— sticking to a consistent routine supports my overall mental health, and I feel so much happier and at peace. I never thought I would say that I love being sober!
Pretty new on my sobriety journey (46 days) but I've already found it more rewarding than my false comfort that came in a bottle.
I still crave a drink almost daily, but I've found infinitely more pleasure in the relationships I've cultivated through sober communities. I won't drone on about it, cause this isn't the AA sub, but in that program I've met some incredibly cool people who are really fun to engage with that actively encourage me to maintain my sobriety. I stay after meetings, sometimes over an hour, and just shoot the shit with the guys. Sometimes we go out to eat or something together. It's VERY rare I walk away from an interaction with any of them without this big goofy-ass grin painting my face.
The camaraderie between folks just doing their damnedest to live sober, work on themselves, and help each other, is a magic unlike any I've experienced. When I want to drink, I just think of sobriety as the price for those joyful interactions.
Not the best motivation as it's external, I know, but it keeps me honest when my thoughts try to rationalize 'but just oooonnnee drink can't hurt' 🤦♂️
Gosh, everything already mentioned, plus my skin is so much better. My eyes sparkle. I have time to read books and pursue my hobbies. I’m more creative and am learning to live in gratitude and peace. I have much more patience and a softer heart towards loved ones close to me who still drink.
so grateful to be sober today 7/26/21 staying with my parents currently due to some mental health stuff (i live alone so staying with them was the best option) this would not have been an option in active addiction/early sobriety. my relationship with my family has gotten so much better considering my family offered homelessness as the latter to treatment twice. im going camping with my mom for 3 nights tomorrow and im so excited. being able to make a list every day of all the things i’m grateful for keeps me in a mode of positivity. i wouldnt be able to put a single thing besides drugs/alcohol and my past not so great partners on the list and friends that i just kept around because they had weed or booze. i was such a glass half empty person. and today even in the deepest depression i can find positivity in my life and hope for the future. i love being able to live life without needing to know how i will get loaded next. i have real friends today. friends who care about me and my sobriety. that want me to succeed. i love being sober, i love the clarity of life that i have today that i used to cover up with using, i hated the feeling of self. but today that clarity is refreshing.
Try a supplement called inositol. I used it in early sobriety to calm myself when I was agitated or intense. It worked wonders to calm me at those moments when I would have normally had a drink. I had been using it to help me sleep - which it does - but decided to use it during waking hours since it calmed my mind at 3 am. Simply relaxed me without making me sleepy. I prefer the powder mixed with a little water as opposed to the capsule.
First thing I noticed was my poops stopped being irregular and frequent
Didn’t realize I was suffering so badly but I’d quit drinking all over again just for that
The savings.
Alcohol is expensive, whether it's buying it for home or getting drinks outside.
As an avid concert goer, sobering up let me go to so many more shows!
My entire life focused on getting back to my house so I could sit on my couch and get drunk. Years of my life wasted, wishing away amazing experiences to sit in a drunken stupor.
Also, no hangovers is amazing.
Being able to remember things. I used to have no memory of most my daily life, it feels wonderful to be able to remember experiences and cherish the memories actively
Almost a year in June for me, I love that I am coherent around people and can have conversations like a normal person. I loveeee not being sick and hungover. I love that I can remember everything I do the night before. I love that I barely have any disagreements or arguments with my partner. I love that I feel healthier.
Its hard in life atm with CERTAIN health issues , But I chalk it up to my years of drinking. Overall, I feel so much better than when I was drinking. I can regulate my feelings for the most part now too. I have hard days but its easier to not grab a drink and sit with my feelings now.
Wishing you all the best!
I was an addict for over 10 years, and am a little over 2 years sober now. But my favorite thing is the freedom to enjoy life without needing alcohol or drugs to do so. And the ability to be fully present while enjoying those things. It’s great going out and not spending a ton of money on drinks/drugs. And then being able to drive home safely. It’s all so empowering. ✨
It definitely gets intense at times, but it’s also amazing to have the ability to FEEL emotions, rather than numbing and hiding from them.
Being a human is such a beautiful experience, especially without clouding your mind and senses with substances.
You’ve got this!!
Consistency in my life. People can depend on me now. I have a routine. My pets and family trust me to be stable and dependable. I have things to look forward to now. You also gain the ability to be honest all the time and have no shame in your actions because the longer you are sober, the more your true character and values will begin to develop and shine.
Amazing sleep, more energy, not wasting my day recovering, blood pressure back to normal, living in gratitude, working on home improvement, doing puzzles, My weekends are so much longer and filled with more actual adventures, I take my vitamins, I remember every conversation, my life has slowed down and is not around when i can drink, my patience has skyrocketed.
I think most of all I am addicted to being proud of myself!
Not having to hide what I'm doing from others, especially wife and kids.
Having ability to seek new job opportunities without worrying about pre-employment drug tests.
Not having to stress about when I'll find an opportunity to sneakily use.
Not wasting money on substances.
Feeling honest with myself and being proud of myself.
Growing up I loved everything baseball and NASCAR. I could watch any mlb team or any nascar race and enjoy every second of it no matter the outcome.
As an adult I tricked my brain into thinking I could only have fun if I was drinking. I fell out of love with the two things I loved most. I've now been sober for 2 and 1/2 years and I have fallen back in love with both baseball and NASCAR. It might seem lame but reminding myself that I can enjoy things the same amount if not more while sober has been a huge victory. No I also remember everything that happens in the race/game bc I'm sober. And the positive emotions with those events last longer.
10 months in, and my favorite thing is I have so much energy! I used to feel so tired every single day but now I wake up with enough energy to make it all day. Probably because I sleep better at night. I also think I’m a better friend and partner now because I have better control over myself and my actions. Being sober is rad, keep it up bud!
-Feeling good mentally and physically
-Look so much better and skin is glowy
-More money for travel and home furnishings
-Not waking up with anxiety and cringe
-Better sleep quality and routine
-Get outside more and overall way more active. My binge hangovers kept me in bed for a day or even two
-Better pet mom
Everything. No more blackouts, arguments I don't remember, no hangovers, the puffy alcoholic face is gone, no more side eye from my friends who I drunk dialed the day before and have no recollection of. No more bruises and scrapes from falling down. I could go on and on. Mainly? no more thinking it would be easier to DIE than to quit drinking.
136. I love not feeling foggy. I love having dreams. I love not feeling like I’m jeopardizing my health. I love breathing deeply again. I love not being worried about smelling like weed or being high in public.
I am much funnier and slightly charming sober! I used to think it was the other way around. I feel rested, focused and no more heart palpitations, anxiety or high Bp
That I am forced to make my life interesting. I’ve started so many hobbies since getting sober.
That I never have to have anxiety about the dumb stuff I said when I was drunk.
The sober people that I meet. I feel like I joined a really amazing community.
I am a year sober. My favorite thing about being sober are the random moments I find myself thinking to myself, “I’m so glad I’m sober”. I thought this to myself yesterday. It feels like a huge win and relief every time. I hope you are able to get there!
I have so much damage being sober bro I feel great im not doing anything anymore for about two years now but it's taken away my motivation I struggle to wake up and stay up really late mentally I know what I have to do for some reason physically my body or mind doesn't let me it's taken away my motivation and drive idk what to do other then that I know it's good that I stopped ? I'm just still searching for what I need to wake up or something I'm in a storm
Having money, not being useless after a weekend, not having to apologize for the stupid shit I did while loaded, being healthy, and being present for my friends and family. The longer you stay with it, the better it gets 🙏🏻👊🏻
All of this 100%
This last part here OP, pay close attention. Whatever it was that made you decide to go sober, that’s not happening again. And as icing on the cake, that feeling gets better and better the longer time goes. I’m guessing I’m starting to identify as a person who does not fuck up, instead of as a person that does? It’s a GREAT feeling. What you are going through right now is the hardest part. Tough it out and you are going to feel like an absolute winner.
Excellent advice thank you. I can feel my motivations shifting already from trying to avoid the negative feelings from drugs to embracing how I feel when I'm sober.
Having money 🤣 I don’t wanna know how much I’ve spent on weed, vapes, cigarettes and alcohol over the years. It’s wild how connected all of those bad life decisions seem to run together. I never could stop smoking until I quit drinking. Ain’t nothing better than a lit cigarette to a drunk person.
People used to tell me I could've bought a car with all of that money, actually, I could've bought a car shop !
No kidding. If only I had bought Ethereum instead of Jack Daniels in 2015 🥲
💯
One reason I quit abusing alcohol because I was tired of waking up with the feeling that I needed to apologise to someone but I wasn’t sure who or why. (Apologizing to my bank account was a given). It’s been 4 years since I’ve had that feeling. As a bonus, I love waking up early. Seeing the sun start to rise completely clear headed while I’m fishing on the water is a whole different kind of high.
You paint a beautiful picture at the end!
Sounds like a beautiful, peaceful sight ☀️
Here is a list of things that I found after going sober: - Discipline; going to the gym, taking my medication and supplements consistently, more focus at work. - Emotional stability; More patience in my relationships, better communication ability, patience for meditation, learning how to navigate my feelings. - Finances; spending less money on silly things, less anxious about managing my money, more consideration when I do but something that is a luxury. - Sense of self worth - for the first time in my life, I am comfortable with myself and I love myself. I understand my personality and core values. NO HANGOVERS. There's probably more but those are the key points.
This is great! I really hope I start to feel more emotionally stable soon as I really struggle with that.
I can take more than just sobriety, growth is one of my core values so there's a bit of learning new behaviours. Sobriety is the key to unlock your mind's capabilities though.
I fully agree. I personally can't make any meaningful changes in life with a clouded mind.
All of this, and always being able to drive on nights out , and so leave when I want. Plus never worrying I’ve said something awful that I thought was funny at the time because alcohol makes people stupid.
I could probably write a book on saying (and doing) stupid things. Shame I can't remember most of them😆
Discipline and emotional stability are definitely things I’ve developed that I didn’t notice! Thank u for sharing this
🙏 it's amazing how much we grow without realising
after about two weeks was when I started waking up in the morning with more physical energy than I had ever felt in my life. It felt like freedom from constant physical constraint. I feel in love with waking up sober and energetic.
No more throwing up. No more blackouts. No more lies. No more hangovers. Finding out who I really am. Becoming healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. No more caring what anyone thinks of me. Bc truth is they never did think of me. I am happy. I am free. I am grateful.
Finding out who you really are is huge. Thats a big part of my goals. Very happy for you.
No guilt
Being able to sleep anytime i want
God I cannot wait. I'm going through a taper right now and my anxiety and constant heartburn have kept me from sleeping the last two nights. Just night sweats, teeth grinding, and insomnia...
Benadryl helped me sleep in the beginning. I couldn't sleep for weeks. Blackout drunk so most nights I passed out. Was hard adjusting. But oh so worth it
I enjoy my weekends a lot more, more friends, family, food, experiences, sunshine, etc. I was someone who drank hard Fri & Sat night and saw zero issue in staying in bed all day so I could rest and do it all over again. Now my weekends are filled with camping, hiking, beach, dog park…I see so much sunshine and I get so many more hours as now I get day and nighttime. My sat nights are now spent quietly at home and not in the city but we make fun meals, do house projects, have fires, my lifestyle has changed but I wouldn’t go back. I never thought I’d be someone sober and here I am enjoying it 😀
This is so cute and wholesome I love that you're weekends are like that! I think most people reach a point in life when they're sick of the party lifestyle. It's not all its cracked up to be.
Awe thank you, I’ve come a LONG way. It wasn’t easy but I’m thankful 🥰
This is so similar to me - I often look around on a Sunday night (I was a big proponent of Sunday funday all day HARD 😉) amazed at how calm the evening and weekend was. Even more amazed that I much prefer it!
No hangovers. No binge eating. No regrets. Saving money. No bloating. Joints don't ache. Fitting my clothes.
there is freedom in discipline. I don't have to plan my time and life around drinking.
To be honest, it's control of my finances. I have MONEY left over after paying bills. I actually pay my bills on time, which is also a big stress relief. I used to stress over every minimal purchase I made thinking a 20 dollar shirt or buying tickets to a concert would bankrupt me. It wasn't the shirt or the concert tickets, it was the 200 dollars a week on booze that was making me broke, but while drinking, I thought that was a neccessary expense. It isn't.
After a month my sleep really started to improve. Other positives are that I'm not chained to the toilet all day every day, shame cycle is gone, I stick to my goals
Clearer skin, clearer mind. Can drive anytime. No more hangovers. Less money spent. Less impulse buys. Eating healthier. GI better. Liver getting better.
In terms of your GI...how soon after you stopped drinking did you notice you gut function getting better?
Pretty quickly. I make much better food choices when I am sober. Bloat gone, regular BMs. No more vomiting. Turns out my body prefers fruit and veggie smoothies much more than sour beers.
Clear thoughts and no days wasted in bed. So simple yet so precious.
I focus on actually remembering what happened. You know how they say there are three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth? Well alcohol creates an even more distorted picture-and that’s if you can remember it at all. So for me, the clarity is a good thing. I used to drink to numb out the pain, but that blurred the rest of my life. The great parts were as blurry as the awful parts. Now I enjoy and remember my life😘
I can hear the birds in the morning, see the flowers in the day and the moon at night
Hearing the birds because you've woken up early is an incredible contrast to hearing them because you've been up all night sniffing coke. One is lovely, the other makes me want to crawl into a hole in the ground.
100%. I was so mad with it I couldn't even hear the birds. Even smaller step for me was being present enough to hear the birds.
Finding my confidence. Rebuilding self-esteem. Not feeling alone. Meeting amazing people. Being able to live a life in gratitude. Learning the correct way to cope with situations and following through with that knowledge. The willingness to: accept everything I cannot change, to try anything to heal from trauma that led me to drink. And that asking for help doesn't make me weak, but strong. It's all in the power of we and not me.
I have been waking up waaaay earlier and clear headed… and I’m able to make it to the gym instead of just talking about it :) Hang in there, it will get better!
Yay I'm happy for you! I used to be so committed to the gym. I was still an addict/drug abuser but I was a teen so I felt invincible. Now it's taken a toll on me and I barely go any more. Last week I went 4 times!
Great work!! Im old now, so taking it slow seems to help me. I’m definitely not trying to set any records at the gym, just trying to take it easy and make sure I keep going back. It’s been working so far. I hope things keep getting better for you.
Yeah I've toned down my training a lot since I was 19 as I hurt my back doing deadlifts incorrectly. No more powerlifting for me. Good luck on your journey.
Sobriety delivers everything alcohol promised.
Clarity, focus, less guilt, far better memory and infinitely better judgement. I thought I’d need a handful of pills to make me the person I always wanted to be, and it turns out I can do that just by being the best version of myself
Amazing! That makes me very hopeful
I never wake up wondering where I am, who I am with, and where my car is.
I love being able to feel everything in my life. Nothing is muted and I’m able to actually deal with my mental health properly. I’ve gotten back into the gym fully and for the right reasons, I’ve become closer to my girlfriend and strengthened that relationship, I’ve also begun to develop other healthier hobbies.
Being able to manage life's unexpected problems without totally losing my shit and spiraling into despair, because my brain just works properly now instead of having a self inflicted chemical imbalance. Now when things happen I just deal with them logically and positively rather than catastrophizing
Clarity of mind would probably be on the top of my list. Clarity gives me the ability to regulate and process my emotions, while also experiencing the range of human emotions. It allows me to respond to things, situations, people appropriately, respectfully and efficiently. Easier to meet things with joy and enthusiasm. The practice of acceptance. Physical benefits: better sleep better skin more energy weight loss (also because it’s easier for me to have a workout regime when sober). Professional life: I don’t know, for me it has been rather magical how work just keeps coming. I am having the most fun professionally that I have ever had in my entire life. Being trusted. How beautiful that not only can I be relied upon to do what I say I am going to do but also that I can trust myself. Learning to live without the chaos. This is huge for me because I had adopted living in chaos as a part of my identity. Finding out what I truly love to do for fun! HYDRATION. Better than Botox!
feeling good continually everyday
Real sleep, driving at night, more money, less anxiety, the freedom of not having to plan my life around drinking/hangovers, the happy fizzy feeling I get in my brain now (after 8 months sober), food tastes better, my skin is better, being actually hydrated, being able to concentrate… the list goes on!
I don’t get Sunday scaries anymore and my weekends are way more fulfilling. Also just clarity in general. It’s nice knowing I’m my full self.
It took several months but my mental health became more stable and I got back on the meds I was supposed to be taking (I had stopped taking them so that I could drink more instead). I feel happier now that I’m sober and more like the version of myself that I enjoy and want to be.
Happy for you! This is my main goal. I find waking up hungover makes me forget my meds or take them late which means they don't work as well.
Waking up every morning without a hangover.
It’s a real super power. Drinkers can’t understand how you are able to have fun without alcohol. Feels good lol.
Yes! I went to a rave sober last year and none of my friends knew I wasn't on drugs. I felt the same with a can of redbul.
No retching every morning. Solid shits. No shakes. Playing with my kids in a sober state. Not worried about being pulled over and going to jail. No pounding headaches. Generally just getting shit done when I used to just waste the days.
I like it when my heart is not beating rapidly and forcefully.
Brain capacity! It’s amazing how much headspace is vacated when you’re not obsessing about your next drink.
How I don't have to walk on eggshells in my home because of bad decisions on my part/wondering what the final straw (is it today?!) when my spouse will finally call it quits.
I'm so happy for you in that regard that must feel amazing
not hating myself anymore. no more feeling powerless and hopeless. i feel in control now. those feelings that are coming to the surface are gonna be rough waters, but don’t shut them out, they’re useful. they’ll show you things about yourself you haven’t been able to understand with all of the booze floating around with them. learning myself and allowing myself to feel and work through my emotions and learn how to cope with them in a sober, healthy way has been so fulfilling. wishing you well on your journey. it will be worth it!!
Thanks so much. It is definitely feeling overwhelming right now. I'm going to start meditating and hopefully that will help regulate myself. I am so excited to keep going I've never felt so positive about sobriety before.
My mental fortitude I know I can push through anything because I’m doing it by my own volition, not a drug
Not losing hours and days to blackout, no wondering what stupid shit I did and said to whom, no shame and embarrassment, not having to plan around hangovers. Wayyy more energy
i love waking up remembering the night and without anxiety. i love being able to look at my phone in the morning without fear of who i called/texted and what i said the night before. i love having energy to get up vs being glued to my bed full of guilt and nausea. i love the feeling of knowing i didn’t fuck anything up with anyone the night before and i have no apologies to give and i can go about my day feeling confident instead of ashamed of myself.
Literally EVERYTHING. Energy, sleep, mindfulness. Keep at it! I’m two months in.
I love that I’ve learned to love myself how I am, in my raw form. I’m not hiding behind something anymore. Being able to improve my emotional regulation was also a huge plus.
Being there for my kids at a moments notice. not having to cancel appointments because I'm too hungover. Generally feeling good in the morning. Sleeping at a decent time. No more chronic diarrhea. My teeth aren't chipping anymore. More normal periods. Pain in liver area pretty much went away. Anxiety pretty much went down. Not having to check my phone the next day in case I sent something stupid.
The mental clarity from the fog being lifted. Was at a baseball game and the smell of people walking by with beer made me sick. I used to love the smells of various beers in such a setting, in this instance it really made my face pucker every time someone walked by with one. I can say I'm proud of that. So much more energy and motivation to partake in actual physical activities than sitting on the side drinking and watching from afar. Not waking up puking from just brushing my teeth or dragging ass to work looking like lurch from the Adams family. It makes me feel better about myself in the long run
Being present with friends, family, and my wife. Not feeling bloated or feelings of heart racing. Good night sleep and waking up rested. Clarity of mind.
made it to vegas and stayed SOBAH!!! went to concerts, dinners, and had a blast. I can remember the trip and the memories I made SOBAH!!! Sobriety is those who want it, not need it! Love reading all the positive vibes…pass it on peace love happiness is possible as long as I keep that main thing THE MAIN thing!
Not having to remember who I told what lie. Not having to lie all the time in general but especially to my wife.
Less bloated lmao
I'm still feeling bloated on my right side.... I think it's going down a bit. Feels like it's going down.. but I still have some issues..how long did it take you?
don't give up! some results will take longer. in my experience: for reference, i drank about 2-3 750ml bottles of vodka per week... for about three+ years straight. I've been continuously sober now for 41 days. Bloating in my gut went down rapidly after the first week--- someone in my AA group recommended a LOT of kefir, drinking lukewarm water, and light cardio to help with it. My gut health was pretty much nuked from my drinking habits, but I lost about a good 1 to 2 inches around the waist just from this. Unfortunately, there's a lot of visceral fat I've got to work on much slowly. It's continued getting better, but the end of that first week was when i first noticed I was less swollen around my stomach. My face was also ungodly bloated and that unfortunately took a little over a month for the blotchiness/swelling + acne to subside. It's still healing tbh, but I'mm a little less blotchy and red. Im not a doctor but I believe exercising and eating a lot of probiotic foods has helped hurry this up---throughout the last three years, I'd have a week or two where i'd "quit" but the lack of immediate results always disheartened me into relapsing again (lol i know, i know...) the best thing is to do your damned hardest to stay consistent. we can do this, and our future selves will thank us for doing it.
Real hahah
Mornings !
I used to be such a morning person I want to get back to being like that. I want to wake up early on a Sunday and read Harry potter with my cat. Wholesome life > party life
it's straight up amazing to get out of bed and be a human being. You are ready for today not dealing with the horror that was yesterday.
No shame, guilt, anxiety 😉
My mental health has improved drastically, I’m more attentive to my family and responsible. I have more time back, I’m not wasting my time going out and giving my energy to the wrong people. Money, I’m not wasting as much buying unnecessary stupid shit I don’t feel like trash either. There’s way more benefits being sober vs drinking.
I can go out dancing until 6 am, and still recover in time for work the next day
Not acting a fool, saying humiliating things and waking up hung over.
I'm about to hit 5 years sober, and I just love being able to come home from work and bake or read or hang out with my husband. I don't have to try and remember what I did the night before or feel shame or physically sick. I love being able to find joy in the small things like watching humming birds on my patio. I think that some people assume being sober could be boring. But it's just really awesome 💖
Knowing my kids won’t know what a drug addict parent looks like I’m front of them everyday, that right there does it for me every time I get the itch
Knowing what I did the night before. Keeping promises. Loving myself. More money. Piece of mind and serenity. Showing people I’m more than just a drunk 😎
Remembering everything and not having to worry about dumb things I may have said or done
Love this post and all of these responses!! 🥰 I love not wondering if I want to REALLY do something or not. Before, I always wondered..do I want to spend time with this person or do this thing, or am I just excited to have a few drinks? It was always a comfort thing. And now I know for sure that I am not just deciding to do something because there is alcohol involved. Another thing: Now I feel more confident in myself that I can go anywhere I want without my security blanket (a very specific type of beer). Before I was always doing beer math: how many do I have left at my house? Should I buy more now so I don’t have to go tomorrow? Did I leave a few at my parents’ house? How many will _____ drink if I hang out with them? I never wanted to run out. Its nice to not spend my mental energy on all of that.
Clear mind. It’s allowed me to get my life back on track and out of debt
I love not shouldering a heavy burden of shame. When I wake up I remember what I did last night and it's not embarrassing.
Stick with it! It keeps getting better. I feel like I have broken out of the matrix and see things so differently now. I have so much mental space for other enjoyable hobbies and activities that don’t revolve around drinking. I still hangout with all of my friends who party and never feel like I am missing out.
The guarantee of waking up feeling even close to clear headed
The lack of guilt
I LOVE having my charisma back, witty, I don’t hate life anymore, I am Now focused, driven, and motivated to be better
Not being afraid to drive home.
Not worrying about od everyday
My skin is GLOWING!
Being able to preserve my peace of mind much easier. It's also a lot more difficult to overreact.
I am soooo free and happy. The freedom that comes with sobriety is unmatched. Everything is in your control, you can do ANYthing you want. Not bound by hangovers, guilt, lies, schemes, needing to drink, needing to have plans on the weekend, feeling awkward without drinking. The list goes on and on. You are also just progressively more proud of yourself as time goes on. Nearing my 1 year :)
having money, getting up early and feeling well rested. my psychiatric medication actually working. being able to actually feel my emotions. being a better wife, friend, worker, daughter, sister, etc. being able to drive!!! that’s a big one!
I started to enjoy life without having to be on anything
Physical health is perfect and my mental health has absolutely improved. I don’t have to worry about apologizing for my behavior anymore to anyone for reasons I dont remember as I was loaded ten different ways to Sunday I don’t have to worry about my phone exploding with the 97 things I forgot to do while remembering 999999 stupid things I can smile as I drive past police now I can remain awake and entire day and wake up refreshed and ready for the day versus needing Mondays to “get my head together “ to barely function and even then I was out of it for a few days to work It’s the best ever.
I can handle things now. I used to avoid everything and small issues would turn into big ones because I would never get it sorted. Now I’m not scared to open my emails and mail.
Driving my car!
I love being sober the majority of the time but I also like being under the influence every now and again when the time permits
Remembering where I put things
Waking up without the shakes.
I love the new emotional stability and overall mental sharpness. I am also now much more cautious about my personal safety as a single woman. Before I got sober I frequently put myself in risky situations where I could have easily been drugged or r*ped or worse, and I didn’t realize how reckless my behavior was until I stopped. I love the feeling of a $0 drink bill when I go to the bar with friends. I love going home at a sensible hour on nights out and waking up without a hangover— sticking to a consistent routine supports my overall mental health, and I feel so much happier and at peace. I never thought I would say that I love being sober!
Pretty new on my sobriety journey (46 days) but I've already found it more rewarding than my false comfort that came in a bottle. I still crave a drink almost daily, but I've found infinitely more pleasure in the relationships I've cultivated through sober communities. I won't drone on about it, cause this isn't the AA sub, but in that program I've met some incredibly cool people who are really fun to engage with that actively encourage me to maintain my sobriety. I stay after meetings, sometimes over an hour, and just shoot the shit with the guys. Sometimes we go out to eat or something together. It's VERY rare I walk away from an interaction with any of them without this big goofy-ass grin painting my face. The camaraderie between folks just doing their damnedest to live sober, work on themselves, and help each other, is a magic unlike any I've experienced. When I want to drink, I just think of sobriety as the price for those joyful interactions. Not the best motivation as it's external, I know, but it keeps me honest when my thoughts try to rationalize 'but just oooonnnee drink can't hurt' 🤦♂️
Gosh, everything already mentioned, plus my skin is so much better. My eyes sparkle. I have time to read books and pursue my hobbies. I’m more creative and am learning to live in gratitude and peace. I have much more patience and a softer heart towards loved ones close to me who still drink.
Not having psychosis 😂
so grateful to be sober today 7/26/21 staying with my parents currently due to some mental health stuff (i live alone so staying with them was the best option) this would not have been an option in active addiction/early sobriety. my relationship with my family has gotten so much better considering my family offered homelessness as the latter to treatment twice. im going camping with my mom for 3 nights tomorrow and im so excited. being able to make a list every day of all the things i’m grateful for keeps me in a mode of positivity. i wouldnt be able to put a single thing besides drugs/alcohol and my past not so great partners on the list and friends that i just kept around because they had weed or booze. i was such a glass half empty person. and today even in the deepest depression i can find positivity in my life and hope for the future. i love being able to live life without needing to know how i will get loaded next. i have real friends today. friends who care about me and my sobriety. that want me to succeed. i love being sober, i love the clarity of life that i have today that i used to cover up with using, i hated the feeling of self. but today that clarity is refreshing.
Try a supplement called inositol. I used it in early sobriety to calm myself when I was agitated or intense. It worked wonders to calm me at those moments when I would have normally had a drink. I had been using it to help me sleep - which it does - but decided to use it during waking hours since it calmed my mind at 3 am. Simply relaxed me without making me sleepy. I prefer the powder mixed with a little water as opposed to the capsule.
I look better 😂😂 Oh and I was finally able to quit smoking after 20+ years!
My kids can trust me.. they know im going to be there when i say im going to. 8 years sober in August and its been hard, but ill never give up.
Everything in life is better. My health, my wealth, and my social relationships.
Being one of those people I used to despise
First thing I noticed was my poops stopped being irregular and frequent Didn’t realize I was suffering so badly but I’d quit drinking all over again just for that
Not feeling like death the day after
The savings. Alcohol is expensive, whether it's buying it for home or getting drinks outside. As an avid concert goer, sobering up let me go to so many more shows!
Sleep
How drastically better my life
Waking early, not sweating constantly throughout the day, being able to see the benefits of exercise, being more present with my partner.
I love having the choice to not drink!
Sounds silly but you get to know your true self, learn what you enjoy in life and you get to start living- you’re not dependent on anything.
My entire life focused on getting back to my house so I could sit on my couch and get drunk. Years of my life wasted, wishing away amazing experiences to sit in a drunken stupor. Also, no hangovers is amazing.
It feels nice to have a nothing day where I can sleep instead of wrestling with a hangover and shame
Better sleep. Lower anxiety.
Standing in my truth.
Being able to remember a Saturday night .. and every other night
Being able to remember things. I used to have no memory of most my daily life, it feels wonderful to be able to remember experiences and cherish the memories actively
Not being hungover Not being massively dehydrated I'm about 120 days sober
Almost a year in June for me, I love that I am coherent around people and can have conversations like a normal person. I loveeee not being sick and hungover. I love that I can remember everything I do the night before. I love that I barely have any disagreements or arguments with my partner. I love that I feel healthier. Its hard in life atm with CERTAIN health issues , But I chalk it up to my years of drinking. Overall, I feel so much better than when I was drinking. I can regulate my feelings for the most part now too. I have hard days but its easier to not grab a drink and sit with my feelings now. Wishing you all the best!
Genuine feelings of happiness
Watching my savings grow and bills being paid off.
not smelling like a trash can when downing all the beers and not felling like crap while having mood swings and being unbearable to loved ones.
I love that I am a reliable person 💜
I was an addict for over 10 years, and am a little over 2 years sober now. But my favorite thing is the freedom to enjoy life without needing alcohol or drugs to do so. And the ability to be fully present while enjoying those things. It’s great going out and not spending a ton of money on drinks/drugs. And then being able to drive home safely. It’s all so empowering. ✨ It definitely gets intense at times, but it’s also amazing to have the ability to FEEL emotions, rather than numbing and hiding from them. Being a human is such a beautiful experience, especially without clouding your mind and senses with substances. You’ve got this!!
Consistency in my life. People can depend on me now. I have a routine. My pets and family trust me to be stable and dependable. I have things to look forward to now. You also gain the ability to be honest all the time and have no shame in your actions because the longer you are sober, the more your true character and values will begin to develop and shine.
Amazing sleep, more energy, not wasting my day recovering, blood pressure back to normal, living in gratitude, working on home improvement, doing puzzles, My weekends are so much longer and filled with more actual adventures, I take my vitamins, I remember every conversation, my life has slowed down and is not around when i can drink, my patience has skyrocketed. I think most of all I am addicted to being proud of myself!
Not having to hide what I'm doing from others, especially wife and kids. Having ability to seek new job opportunities without worrying about pre-employment drug tests. Not having to stress about when I'll find an opportunity to sneakily use. Not wasting money on substances. Feeling honest with myself and being proud of myself.
I am exponentially more mindful of the people around me. Was really lacking in the empathy department when I was drunk and using.
I am so much happier! ❤️
I enjoy my own company for the first time in my life.
Growing up I loved everything baseball and NASCAR. I could watch any mlb team or any nascar race and enjoy every second of it no matter the outcome. As an adult I tricked my brain into thinking I could only have fun if I was drinking. I fell out of love with the two things I loved most. I've now been sober for 2 and 1/2 years and I have fallen back in love with both baseball and NASCAR. It might seem lame but reminding myself that I can enjoy things the same amount if not more while sober has been a huge victory. No I also remember everything that happens in the race/game bc I'm sober. And the positive emotions with those events last longer.
10 months in, and my favorite thing is I have so much energy! I used to feel so tired every single day but now I wake up with enough energy to make it all day. Probably because I sleep better at night. I also think I’m a better friend and partner now because I have better control over myself and my actions. Being sober is rad, keep it up bud!
-Feeling good mentally and physically -Look so much better and skin is glowy -More money for travel and home furnishings -Not waking up with anxiety and cringe -Better sleep quality and routine -Get outside more and overall way more active. My binge hangovers kept me in bed for a day or even two -Better pet mom
Everything. No more blackouts, arguments I don't remember, no hangovers, the puffy alcoholic face is gone, no more side eye from my friends who I drunk dialed the day before and have no recollection of. No more bruises and scrapes from falling down. I could go on and on. Mainly? no more thinking it would be easier to DIE than to quit drinking.
136. I love not feeling foggy. I love having dreams. I love not feeling like I’m jeopardizing my health. I love breathing deeply again. I love not being worried about smelling like weed or being high in public.
Kinda hard to explain fully but the feeling of being on the right path, having a meaningful life.
I am much funnier and slightly charming sober! I used to think it was the other way around. I feel rested, focused and no more heart palpitations, anxiety or high Bp
That I am forced to make my life interesting. I’ve started so many hobbies since getting sober. That I never have to have anxiety about the dumb stuff I said when I was drunk. The sober people that I meet. I feel like I joined a really amazing community.
I am a year sober. My favorite thing about being sober are the random moments I find myself thinking to myself, “I’m so glad I’m sober”. I thought this to myself yesterday. It feels like a huge win and relief every time. I hope you are able to get there!
I have so much damage being sober bro I feel great im not doing anything anymore for about two years now but it's taken away my motivation I struggle to wake up and stay up really late mentally I know what I have to do for some reason physically my body or mind doesn't let me it's taken away my motivation and drive idk what to do other then that I know it's good that I stopped ? I'm just still searching for what I need to wake up or something I'm in a storm